God calls His children to lives of holiness. This takes on many forms, one of them being the physical aspect of life. God has given us physical bodies to bring Him glory. Part of modesty involves covering much/some of the body from public view. There is certainly room for disagreement among Christians over exactly what this means. However, I'm always stunned when I hear how strongly some Christian men and women defend the "right" of Christian women to wear bikinis. I cannot understand it. In light of this topic, I found the following video interesting:
What do you think?
What do you think?
9 comments:
What is the purpose of wearing a bikini? Certainly not comfort, I'm a dude but I can't imagine that it is comfortable wearing a tiny amount of fabric barely held together while swimming. I can only think that the purpose is to draw attention to yourself in what can only be described as a sexually provocative manner to strangers. How is that appropriate? Some may argue that it allows more surface area for tanning but since tanning is nothing more than being prideful and is frankly harmful, that excuse holds little sway.
I am afraid that the real motivation is a desire for the approval of the world and a rejection of the truth that the life of a follower of Christ is about more than demanding my right to liberty no matter what it does to my witness. The culture tells women "if ya got it, flaunt it!" and this lie has been swallowed hook, line and sinker by far too much of the church (along with many other cultural values that are at odds with the Bible)
Sisters, you aren't showing your freedom in Christ by going out in public wearing next to nothing, exposing yourself in a way that should be reserved for the bounds of marriage. You are merely buying into the lie of the world that your value is based on being sexualized for the entertainment of the world.
Arthur,
Exactly.
I tire of people telling men they have "dirty minds" for being attracted to pretty women in bikinis. Granted, we men need to take care what we look at and think about. However, the ladies must dress in such a way as not to cause a brother to stumble.
Additionally, I cannot fathom how God's holiness in our lives allows for the wearing of bikinis. It borders on nonsensical.
Wow, only two comments on this?
to be sure, swimming is better with less, and psychology has nothing to offer Christ.
We know that women & men both need be led by God concerning everything they say, do, present. So, why reason a bikini from philosophy or morality?
It's kinda disturbing to see Eric here so indirectly leave men an allowance for any mind other than the mind of Christ.
Both women and men, children of God all, need train themselves (rather than put their heads in the sand), drawing upon the power of God. We know that medical folks everywhere regularly examine patients of the other gender... And we can't manage to view a woman in a bikini without stumbling? How carnal do you expect us to be? The world is not going to give up the bikini for sake of a fleshy Christianity.
Walk in the Spirit and you will not carry out the lust/desires of the flesh.
Arthur,
Well, there's another comment from Marshall. Wow.
Eric,
I've been away, but, for what it's worth. I agree wholeheartedly.
I still reckon that a woman in a one piece swimsuit is far more attractive than one which leaves nothing to the imagination.
The rationalization of some leaves me wondering!
@Marshall,
Your point is valid that we need to train ourselves to be holy. HOWEVER, the fact remains that there will ALWAYS be young and growing Christians among us who haven't totally put their sinful habits and desires to the flesh.
1 Corinthians 8 can be pretty well applied to this situation. If what I do causes my brother to sin, I won't do it. We can't tell the whole world to quit wearing bikinis, but the Christian women among us CAN choose not to wear them: thus loudly proclaiming that God calls us to sexual purity, a much higher standard than the world.
FURTHERMORE, we're surrounded by non-Christians, who have no desire or reason or ability to think with the mind of Christ. Why would we then tell our Sisters to tempt those around them into more sin?
Eric isn't leaving "allowance" for a mind other than the mind of Christ. He's telling women that the depraved flesh in men is bent towards responding to scantily-clad women as objects for sexual pleasure rather than as image-bearers of God.
A bit off topic, that "psychology has nothing to offer Christ is frankly a ridiculous argument." Nuclear physics, electricy, and the wheel have nothing to offer Christ, but I'm not going to stop using them. In fact, I suppose the english language has nothing to offer Him either, but I'm not going to share the gospel in koine greek, either. To use psychological arguments to illustrate and explain (not replace) the Biblical mandate to modesty is wisdom, not foolishness.
It's too hard to go to the bathroom in a one piece. You could pee yourself struggling to get out of a wet one piece swim suit in a hurry, since swimming makes you have to go suddenly some times. If you have a shirt on over a one piece, you have to take that off to get the suit down. After having a baby, I'm not taking those kind of chances!
Showing my navel is better than peeing myself trying to get undressed.
Kathy,
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your struggles in wearing a one piece. However, the argument you've given is a pragmatic one, not a theological one. Additionally, most bikinis show a whole lot more than just the navel.
Do you have a biblical/theological reason for thinking that bikinis are acceptable?
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